The Cricket Thread

[Arnoldtoo]

Another good day for England. The Broad, Wood stand seems to have broken SA, who look totally defeated right now.

They're looking pretty sorry aren't they.

And England's fortunes have gone completely the opposite way in this series. They're beginning to look like a half decent team (with a half decent Captain!)

 

[UncleBuck]

110 runs between 9,10 and Jack is a bloody good show and pretty much broke SA.
I love Woody, it’s all heart on sleeve and you can see how much he loves it

 

[midoshairband]

110 runs between 9,10 and Jack is a bloody good show and pretty much broke SA.
I love Woody, it’s all heart on sleeve and you can see how much he loves it

I’ve been a bit unsure about his wicket taking capabilities in test cricket. how wrong was I. when fit and firing (and used correctly) he’s brilliant. use of the crease is fantastic.

root has used him fantastically these past two games.

 

[VegasII]

I, too, was ready to admit that Stokesy was out of order for rising to a bit of sledging with 'visionist' abuse aimed at a spectator: he needs to rise above that, not retaliate and be the bigger person.

Now it seems he'd been called Ed Sheeran.

Nobody should have to put up with abuse like that under any circumstances, fortunately for the spectator he didn't call him Mick Hucknall - he'd probably have had a bat wrapped around his head.

That really is the most torrid, disgusting form of sledging. It would have been better if he’d called him a ****.

 

[UncleBuck]

I’ve been a bit unsure about his wicket taking capabilities in test cricket. how wrong was I. when fit and firing (and used correctly) he’s brilliant. use of the crease is fantastic.

root has used him fantastically these past two games.

Most definitely, I think the whole approach of using him in short bursts is ideal and exactly how he should be used. Hopefully his re-modelled run up will sort out the ankle injuries.
Then we move onto Jofra. He needs to be handled exactly the same way, it’s going to take him a couple of years to settle into test cricket, whether he’ll remain motivated in that time only time will tell.
I really hope he does though as a wood/archer axis would more than rival the broad/Anderson opening partnership.

 

[IfiHadTheWings]

Quality bowling from Wood and another Fifer, showing to be a great selection.

 

[Yid-ol]

Not sure if there is more rain expected, but if England do bat again I hope they try and put another 250-300 on quick enough. Though they have been bowling SA out quickly in the last few games.

 

[Arnoldtoo]

Not sure if there is more rain expected, but if England do bat again I hope they try and put another 250-300 on quick enough. Though they have been bowling SA out quickly in the last few games.

They're batting, and rightly so. Should be a bit of fun if the openers can give us another solid start. I think I'll watch Federer for a while so as not to jinx them!

 

[Arnoldtoo]

123-2

Come on guys, we need a wicket before I start worrying ...

 

[IfiHadTheWings]

123-2

Come on guys, we need a wicket before I start worrying ...

You worrying yet?

 

[Arnoldtoo]

You worrying yet?

It's looking a bit safer than when Denly was offering free runs.

If a couple of the SA batsmen had tried to stay in with De Kock rather than emulate his scoring rate it might be a bit different!

 

[IfiHadTheWings]

It's looking a bit safer than when Denly was offering free runs.

If a couple of the SA batsmen had tried to stay in with De Kock rather than emulate his scoring rate it might be a bit different!

I put the anti bock on for you, wicket dropped pretty much as I sent to the post.

Must say it has been an impressive couple of tests and probably exactly how England will be looking to play moving forward.

 

[Arnoldtoo]

I put the anti bock on for you, wicket dropped pretty much as I sent to the post.

Must say it has been an impressive couple of tests and probably exactly how England will be looking to play moving forward.

I've definitely stopped worrying.

From 235-4 to 274 all out.

Seems like the teams have swapped roles since the first test!

 

[SE Spurs]

Superb from England. Pretty much won every days play after the first test, great effort.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

England did very well and suddenly the future looks bright. We'll undoubtably still have bad series/tests but I feel at last there's hope.

Root did OK too......... *chokes on words

If we'd have lost this series badly serious questions would have had to have been asked and he was even starting to come under pressure from the media so fair play to him.

 

[southlondonyiddo]

Pleased for Root. Nice for him to get a series win under his belt. Can only give him more confidence, which is good for England

Good to see the side raise their all round game and play well in back to back Tests. Some very positive signs, especially Pope. Also the openers did a great job but it has to be said that the South African attack was pathetic as was their batting, for the most part

That being said, you can only beat who you are up against but it was good to see us beat them convincingly again

Jury is still very much still out for me but some really good signs, fingers crossed

 

[midoshairband]

great series win.

Root actually captained pretty well across the series (shock). perhaps he is growing into the role. or perhaps everything looks better when our batsmen actually score some runs.

although Sri Lanka probably isn't the tour to do it, mainly as Burns will still be injured, I'd like to see a Burns, Sibley, Crawley top 3 given a run over the home summer.

 

[Monkeyman]

great series win.

Root actually captained pretty well across the series (shock). perhaps he is growing into the role. or perhaps everything looks better when our batsmen actually score some runs.

although Sri Lanka probably isn't the tour to do it, mainly as Burns will still be injured, I'd like to see a Burns, Sibley, Crawley top 3 given a run over the home summer.

Burns, Sibley, Crawley, Root, Stokes and Pope is starting to look like a batting line up with some decent potential once Burns is fit again. Probably only Crawley's spot is questionable out of that top 6, but he will have the Sri Lanka tour as another opportunity. I heard some talk about bringing Jennings back for that tour, though hopefully Crawley's potential shown in this match will be enough to keep him in. I really don't want to go back to Jennings again, he'd probably do well in Sri Lanka but he's shown he just isn't up to it against top class pace bowlers, so is never going to be a long term option IMO.

It really makes a big difference having at least one of Wood and Archer in the team, and we're going to have to be careful with both of them. 4/5 over spells at top pace has to be the way to go. Archer bowled way too many overs last year.

I think Root's captaincy was improved in this series (other than bowling himself far too long in the last match), although it undoubtedly helps when you have better players than the opposition.

 

[Arnoldtoo]

Burns, Sibley, Crawley, Root, Stokes and Pope is starting to look like a batting line up with some decent potential once Burns is fit again. Probably only Crawley's spot is questionable out of that top 6, but he will have the Sri Lanka tour as another opportunity. I heard some talk about bringing Jennings back for that tour, though hopefully Crawley's potential shown in this match will be enough to keep him in. I really don't want to go back to Jennings again, he'd probably do well in Sri Lanka but he's shown he just isn't up to it against top class pace bowlers, so is never going to be a long term option IMO.

It really makes a big difference having at least one of Wood and Archer in the team, and we're going to have to be careful with both of them. 4/5 over spells at top pace has to be the way to go. Archer bowled way too many overs last year.

I think Root's captaincy was improved in this series (other than bowling himself far too long in the last match), although it undoubtedly helps when you have better players than the opposition.

Agree with that, and I don't think they'll bring Jennings back yet, if at all, injuries permitting.

My only slight worry is what we do when Wood and Archer are in the team. Yes they have to be bowled in short spells (ideally), but we don't want to bowl Stokes into the ground and risk injury - he's not the sort to take it easy - and is Curran a workhorse 4th seamer? Shouldn't be a problem in Sri Lanka where the spinners will do a lot of work, but in the summer, and the Ashes ...?

 

[midoshairband]

ODI's start tomorrow. can we shoehorn Roy, Bairstow and Banton into the same 11? Unfortunately for Banton it looks like he'll be put out of position at 6. he's definitely best in the powerplay, but Roy and Bairstow have definitely earnt the right to stay at the top together.

should be a good mini series, along with the T20's too.